Wesgro – Cape Town and the Western Cape’s Official Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency – is pleased to announce that two employees in our Film and Media Promotion Unit, Monica Rorvik and Lisa Mini, have officially been certified as film commissioners. The Agency has also become a member of the Africa Film Commissions Network (AFCNet).
Wesgro is mandated to promote Cape Town and the Western Cape for film and media production. The team has been incredibly successful to date, helping land R1.56-billion in production value in the province in the last financial year (2015/2016). This will result in 3 271 full time equivalent jobs being created.
This new membership should lead to even greater access for the Wesgro team as we continue to promote Cape Town and the Western Cape as an inspiring place to create.
AFCNet grew from Pan-African locations research supported by the South African Department of Arts and Culture. At markets globally, film commissions from around the world have the opportunity to come together to form panels, or even market themselves together to highlight funding offerings, locations and the film work opportunities from their respective continents.
The AFCNet initiative provides a voice for Africa in such fora and with Wesgro now part of this initiative, Cape Town and the Western Cape will also be better positioned as a key film and media production destination.
Tim Harris, CEO of Wesgro, said: “With two Film Commissioners employed at Wesgro, the Agency has demonstrated its commitment to marketing and growing the film and media industry in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Film and media is a relationship industry and our filmmakers are often expanding their work into the rest of Africa. For example, ‘Madmax: Fury Road” was shot in various countries including Namibia and had its studio work done at the Cape Town Film Studios. By being able to better link these opportunities through the network, I am confident our new film commissioners will attract even more productions to the Western Cape.”
Monica Rorvik, one of Wesgro’s new film commissioners, and Head of the Film and Media Promotion Unit added: “Marketing the continent with other commissioners in international markets will help expand Pan African awareness, positioning the Cape as a gateway to the rest of Africa. The goal is to help drive projects to our region and helping our own filmmakers in expanding their Pan African network.”
“Wesgro looks forward to working with other commissioners across the African continent, as we seek to grow our respective economies and create jobs” concluded Harris.
